Boy, am I TERRIBLE at this....

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Hey,Spent some more time trying to TIG some 16 gauge mild steel together. I'm awful at this.  If anybody would care to give me some pointers on the MANY things I am doing wrong, I'd be VERY grateful.First, a weld where I am trying to weld 2 tubes side by side:Second, a weld where I am trying to weld a tube butted up t the second... The tube started buring away, so I wound up adding a LOT of filler.You can see a blemish on that one too, where I was just trying to make a puddle of a regular size without adding any filler metal... just create and hold it, then move it along, as a practice exercise... I can't even do that very well.Any insight much appreciated....An odd fellow, but nice enough. I build "interesting" things.
Reply:First, you won't be able to keep a puddle, it gets hotter and hotter.For filling your gap, it can be done but not a good place to start.Make some of your parts have good fitup and do a butt weld.  WATCH the puddle, feed it as it needs and keep it moving along.You are off to a decent start because you want to do it and want to improve.For a hint, where you burned through, use MUCH less heat, add a little filler and go away for a few seconds, add a little more filler.....Maybe beads on flat to get you used to the torch and filler.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Use 3/32 tungsten , .045 filler wire, and set machine to 50 amps.I see a lot of spattering. WHY?You are using a foot pedal? Or hand control?
Reply:Is the tungsten at a point? Make sure you sharpen your tungsten like a pencil. Also I don't know your background but spatter might be from dipping the tungsten, this isn't like MIG or stick welding where the electrode comes in contact with the work surface.Like donald said, start at 50 amp, if you have a foot pedal control, throttle on slowly, hold the arc steady, increase until you get a molten puddle, sometimes you have to dance around to get the two work pieces to fuse or add amperage... then add filler, move about 1/32-1/16" start another pool of molten metal and dab the filler.Miller Syncrowave 180SDMillermatic 175
Reply:You can't weld over mill scale, as you can with other processes. It sparks; which contaminates your tungsten. And the lower your amps, the worse it is. Occasionally, on 1/8 and up, the heat will burn off the scale, but not on that light stuff you're doing. Use a flap disc, because even a powered 4 1/2 knot brush will only polish the mill scale and it will still screw with you. Your arc should be a bright white. Once the arc goes green, you're done; quit. Regrind the tungsten and try again. I wish someone had taught me this simple fact. Next time post a pic of your torch, pointing about a 45* angle toward the camera. Someone may pick something up seeing your used tung.I hope you have a pedal, it's the whole reason for TIG. Don't hold your pedal still, rock it up and down to control puddle heat. If you need 50 amps, set the welder at 70, it will give quick puddle starts and good pedal control. And it's completely OK to lift your foot OFF quickly, to control heat. But leave the torch in position over the weld, so the post flow will protect to puddle. And you can't use RG45 weldiing rod, TIG needs the deoxidizers that are in ER70S. If your shop has it, I'd start with ER70S-6. It has more oxidizers than ER70S-2 and will handle a slightly less clean metal. Every little bit helps when everything is hard.If you wear reading glasses, wear them welding. Your puddle is about the size of sewing on a button. Good luck, ask questions; I'm a good typist.   jus kiddin'Last edited by Craig in Denver; 06-14-2008 at 09:08 PM.9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:If you're just trying to learn tig, I'd practice on thicker material 1/8"+ until you have good control of your welds. If you are already decent with 1/8" and now trying to learn to do thinner materials ignore this.I agree about your needing to clean the material and get good joint fit up.
Reply:Thaddeus,The spatter and dark grey weld indicate to me that you do not have adequate inert (Argon) shielding.Haven't we be through this before, I didn't seach back, but weren't you having shielding problems a week or so ago?Anyway, here is a list of some things that could screw up your shielding:1.  Wrong gas, need 100% Argon.2.  Leak somewhere in the system, could be any fitting, the flow meter, the solenoid, the back cap or nozzle seal on the torch, etc.3.  Wind/fan blowing shielding away.4.  To much, or too little gas flow.5.  Excessive tungsten stick out, extreme torch angle, or excess arc length.6.  Excessive current, traveling too fast.7.  Really bad goobered up tungsten that you dipped in the puddle and hit with the filler.8.  Water in the gas line, from when you somehow found a way to connect up the torch incorrectly.Anyway, this should not be rocket science to figure out.  Relax have a homebrew, and start from scratch.  As you seach for the solution to your shielding problem, try testing the shielding by making a small stationary spot weld on a clean shiny piece of steel, without filler metal.  The spot weld should be the idea conditons for good shielding, you don't have to fumble with the torch or filler, you can hold steady in one spot with the torch perpedicular and nice and close to puddle, and you can just melt a small spot that will be quickly cooled by the surrounding metal as the post flow of gas protects it from oxidation.  This way you will see if it is a gas supply problem or an operator problem.  Once you get a good clean shiny spot weld, then try adding more heat, and move on to traveling welds, then try adding filler.
Reply:Pulser: I remembered that thread and was able to find it:Posted by Weldbead:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=21857Thaddeus, there were some good points brought up there, if you hadn't seen it. Similar problems.9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:Thaddeus,Because you're using square tubing, it has a radius on it.  When you butt them up together, there is no flush fit, it's almost like a grove weld.  As you are trying to bridge this groove, you are putting way too much heat into the part.Try this.  Butt the pieces up against each other, and then run a stringer weld along one side.  Then run a stringer weld on the other side.  Now that you've closed up some of that gap caused by the rounded edges, weld the two welds you just made together with another weld.  Yes, it's three passes, but before long you'll have a better hand and wont need to do it any more.I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Fitup and clean steel are as important as how many amps to use or what filler.  To make a nice looking weld you have to do a good prep job. More pics DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I posted this earlier:"It has more oxidizers than ER70S-2 and will handle a slightly less clean metal."Caught my own mistake, should be deoxidizers. 9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:Thanks to everybody!I will take all of this to heart. Didn't have time to do more this weekend, but will be cutting up stock for more attempts next weekend. And I'm going to:(1) Clean the heck out of the metal.(2) Hold the torch perpendicular to the weld, as opposed to at an angle, which I was definitely doing.(3) regrind my tungsten when the light gets green. Mine was green; I did touch the electrode to the work, and the filler rod to the electrode, at least once.(4) Turn down the amperage. I was at 85.(5) Look for a smaller puddle. I was letting my puddle get too big, I think, before adding the rod, thn I was chasing the blobs around with the arc, trying to get them to wet out.More pics next week... I'll work with some flat stock, but otherwise I'm going to keep learning on tube, because tube is what I bought this welder for, and I might as well climb that peak.I also figured out why I've been consuming so much argon... I haven't been opening th valve all the way, so the valve packing wasn't sealed... grrr.An odd fellow, but nice enough. I build "interesting" things.
Reply:Originally Posted by Thaddeus I'll work with some flat stock, but otherwise I'm going to keep learning on tube, because tube is what I bought this welder for, and I might as well climb that peak..
Reply:In your first pic I don't see any tack welds..... As stated clean the metal, clamp them together, get a good fit up tack, and then weld them.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:No, you are not TERRIBLE, you are just a beginner. Follow the advise given here and keep practicing and you will get it figured out. Every welder that posts here was probably just that bad or worse when we started. No one picks up a torch or stinger and makes a good weld their first time. Some have a faster learning curve than others but we all had to learn.